newton



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. E. NEWTON 8; J. PALMER. SPLIGINGATTACHMENT FORKNITTING MACHINES.

No. 431,913. Patented July 8, 1890.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2. E. NEWTON & J. PALMER.

SPLIGING ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTING MAGHINES. 110.431.1913. Fg/Z. PatentedJuly 8, 1890.

(No Model.) I 4 Sheets-Sheet 3. E. NEWTON & J. PALMER. SPLIGINGATTACHMENT FOR KNITTING MAGHINES.

No. 431,913. Patented July 8, 1890.

., PHOTGLIMO, WASNINGTON a c (No Model.) 4Sheets-Sheet 4. E. NEWTON 8vJ. PALMER.

SPLIOING ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTING MAGH'INES. No. 431,913. Patented July8, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN NEWTON AND JAMES PALMER, OF LEICESTER, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS TODAVIS, MOORE & (10., OF SAME PLACE. I

SPLICING ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,913, dated July 8,1890. Application filed December 30, 1889. Serial No. 335,446. (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known thatwe, EDWIN NEWTON, mechanic, and JAMES PALMER, mechanic,subjects of the Queen of Great Britain, and both 5 residents ofLeicester, England,have invented new and useful Improvements in SplicingAttachments for Knitting-Machines, of which the following is aspecification. reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

: Our invention relates to apparatus for the manufacture of hosiery.

B y our said invention we provide improved means for splicing the ankle,heel, foot-bottom, or toe of a seamless stocking, half-hose I or sock,01' other sectional part or parts of a circular piece of knitting 011 anautomatic knitting-machine.

Our said invention is advantageously applicable to knitting-machineshaving vertical 2o needles-such as, for instance, that commonly known asthe Shaw stocking-machine-or to knitting-machines having horizontalneedles-such as that known as the Aikens machineor to any other suitableautomatic 2 5 circular-knitting machine.

In the accompanying drawings we have shown how our said invention may beconveniently and advantageously carried into practice.

Figure 1 is a plan, and Fig. 2 a side elevation, illustrating ourimprovements applied to a Shaw stocking-machine. Fig. 3 is a frontelevation of a portion of the said machine. Fig. 4 is a similar View toFig. 1, some of the 3 5 parts being removed, showing the parts in adifferent position; and Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 00 00,Fig. 4, drawn to an enlarged scale, showing details of construction.

Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawin gs.

A is the table of the machine.

1-3 is the annular shield or guard surrounding the rotating or cam ringcarrying the 45 web-holders.

G is the rotating or cam ring.

D is the yarn-carrier.

E is the pillar or standard carrying the main or ordinary threadtensions and guides.

F is the pattermchain.

G is the main or ordinary thread or threads.

H is the additional splicing or supplementary thread.

I are the web-holders.

a is a pillar or standard secured to the upper surface of the rotatingor cam ring C, so that it will move therewith. The pillar or standard ais provided with a bobbin-holder 19, carrying a bobbin 1), for supplyingthe additional splicing or supplementary thread H, 60 for splicing orthickening the stocking or other article. The pillar or standard a isalso provided with guides to for the said thread H and with a guide afor the original or main thread or threads G.

o is a tube, through which pass both the main or original thread orthreads G and the additional splicing or supplementary thread H. Thetube 0 is secured in any suitable manner to the yarn-carrier D andserves for periodically conducting the said additional splicing orsupplementary thread H into the fabric with the original or main threador threads G. cl is a guide attached to the plate carrying the saidyarn-carrier D and intended 7 5 for keeping the said original or mainthread or threads G separate from the additional splicing orsupplementary thread H.

e is a bracket secured upon the upper surface of the rotating or 0211111ring C, so that it will move therewith. The additional splicing orsupplementary thread II passes through a hole f in a guide f, providedupon an extension 6 of the bracket 6, and between jaws g g, and joinsthe main or original thread or threads G in the above-mentioned tube 0.The jaw g is formed in one with or rigidly secured to the extension 8 ofthe said bracket 6, and the jaw g is pivoted at g to 3. lug g upon thesaid extension. Suitable means, 0 hereinafter described, are providedfor periodically and automatically closing the said jaws, as shown inFigs. 1 and 5, so as to form, as it were, a trap, which holds or retainsthe additional splicing or supplementary thread H and causes thebreakage thereof. By these means the splicing or thickening will bebroken after it has been carried round the stocking or other article forany desired distance. moo

h is a lever pivoted at h to a boss 6 upon the bracket e. The extremityof the long arm of the said lever h can be moved beneath the guide f andbetween the latter and the jaws g g. 71 is a hole provided in thisextremity of the said long arm, through which passes the additionalsplicing or supplementary thread H. The parts are so constructed andarranged that while the said additional splicing or supplementary threadis held or retained in the said jaws or trap g g the long arm of thelever It will be moved outward into the position shown in Figs. 1, 2,and 5, and thus caused to draw down a certain amount of the saidadditional splicing or supplementary thread from the bobbin 1), and whenthe said additional splicing or supplementary thread is released by theopening of the said jaws or trap g g the lever It will resume its normalposition underneath the guide f, thus releasing the portion of theadditional splicing or supplementary thread H drawn down by the outwardmovement of the lever h and causing a certain amount of slack in thesaid additional splicing or supplementary thread, which slack permitsthe said threads to follow the original or main thread or threads Gdown. the tube 0 and to enter the fabric before the tension comes intooperation.

For automatically opening and closing the trap or jaws g g at the propertimes during each revolution of the rotating or cam ring vO we providethe following n1echanismthat is to say:

7: is a semicircular or forked lever pivoted at t" to the under side ofthe annular shield or guard B.

j j are stops or bolts arranged to move freely in blocks or pieces j,attached to, the outer edge or periphery of the said annular shield orguard B. The lower extremities of the said stops or bolts j bear againstand are supported by the extremities of the semicircular or forked lever1', and the upper extremities thereof are so arranged as to be flushwith v the upper surface of the said annular shield or guard undernormal conditions. Suitable means, hereinafter described, are providedfor periodically and automatically depressing the short arm 2* of thesaid lever 2' and raising the semicircular or forked arm thereof, andconsequently also the stops or bolts j, into the position shown moreclearly in Fig. 2. Then the said stops or bolts are thus raised abovethe surface of the annular shield or guard B, they extend into the pathof a ratchet or toothed wheel 75, which is carried upon a spindle Z,secured to the bracket 6.

k is a disk or friction spring, and Z Z are nuts for adjusting thetension of the said spring.

m is a cam or cam-wheel formed in one with orfirmly secured to the saidratchet or toothed wheel 75. With this cam engages the short arm of thelever h and an extension 9 upon the jaw g. n is a spring for retainingthe said lever h and extension g in engagement with the said cam orcam-wheel m. The said lever h and the extension g are so arrangedrelatively to the said cam or cam-wheel m that during the rotation ofthe latter they will be alternately operated or move in oppositedirections thereby. Thus when the said camwheel m has been moved by oneor other of the teeth of the ratchet or toothed wheel is strikingagainst one of the stops or bolts 3' into the position shown in Fig. 1,so as to operate or move the extension g to close the jaws or trap g g'and hold or retain the additional splicing or supplementary thread, thelong arm of the lever h will be moved from beneath the guide f to d rawdown the splicing: thread, as above described. When, on the contrary,the said cam-wheel m has been moved by one or other of the teeth of theratchet-wheel 7t striking against the other stop or bolt j into theposition shown in Fig. 4, so as to allow the spring 92 to move theextension g to open the jaws or trap g g and release the additionalsplicing or supplementary thread H, the long arm of the lever h isreturned to its normal position underneath the guide f and the slackportion of the said thread is released and permitted to fall into thetube 0 and pass along with the main or original thread into the fabric.

In order to move or elevate the stops or bolts j into the path of theratchet or toothed wheel k and to permit them to resume their normalposition at the proper times, we provide a piece 0, arranged to slidefreely in a hole in a bracket 19, attached to the table A. This piece 0is provided at one extremity with a head or swelling 0, against whichare adapted to bear inclined surfaces upon blocks or wedge-pieces q,secured upon the patternchain F, so as to move the said piece 0 in oneor the other direction into or from the bracket 13. Then the piece 0 ismoved by one of the said blocks or wedge-pieces qfrom the bracket 19,the head or swelling 0 (or an inclined surface provided thereon) movesfarther underneath the short arm of a bell-crank lever 0", whichnormally rests thereon, and raises the latter, consequently movinginward the long arm of the said bell-crank lever. The said bell-cranklever is pivoted at r to a bracket 1*, secured to the table A, and theshort arm thereof is preferably secured thereon by a set-screw r orother suitable means is provided for rendering the said short armadjustable relatively to the long arm. The long arm of the saidbell-crank lever r is coupled by means of a connecting-rod r to oneextremity of a sliding rod 5, which works in a suitable hole in thebasket t, supporting the annular shield or guard B. Upon the otherextremity or head 8 of the sliding rod .9 is provided an inclinedsurface .9 which bears against an inclined surface 1? upon the short armof the lever 2', so as to depress the short arm and elevate the long armof the said lever, and thus raise the steps or bolts j, as more clearlyshown in Figs. 2 and 3. hen the piece 0 is moved back to its normal ororiginal position by the next succeeding block or wedge-piece q, theslide-rod s and bellcrank lever r resume their normal position under theaction of a spiral or other suitable spring a. The blocks orwedge-pieces q are placed at such a distance apart upon thepattern-chain F as to permit the stops or bolts j to project above thesurface of the annular shield or guard B for the length of timenecessary to form the splicing or thickening as far around the stockingor other article as may be required. Any desired number of the saidblocks or wedge-pieces q may be placed upon the pattern-chain F, so asto move the stops or bolts j into the elevated or operative position atone or more parts of the fabric where it is desired to form the splicingor thickening, and the said blocks or wedge-pieces may be spaced so asto maintain the said stops or bolts in the said elevated or operativeposition for the required length of time during each splicing orthickening operation.

The operation of the apparatus will be readily understood from theforegoing description.

Although we have hereinbefore described our said invention moreparticularly as applied to a machine of the kind or class commonly knownas a Shaw stocking-machine, in which the needles are placed vertically,it will readily be seen that by obvious modifications our said inventionmay also be advantageously applied to machines having the needles placedin a horizontal position.

It is obvious that we can somewhat modify our apparatus withoutdeparting from the nature of our said invention. For instance, We canemploy means other than those above described for moving the stops orbolts j into the path of the ratchet or toothed wheel it. Any convenientnumber of extra or supplemen tary or splicing threads may be employed.

What we claim is- 1. In an automatic knitting-machine, the combination,with the cam-ring for operating the yarn or web holders, of a splicingattachment comprising jaws for alternately gripping and releasing thesplicing-thread, a cam and a ratchet-wheel for operating one of the saidjaws mounted on the cam-ring, adjustable bolts or stops for operatingthe said ratchetwheel and cam in the rotation of the said cam-ring, andmechanism, substantially as described, connected with the said bolts forautomatically operating them at the proper time, as and for the purposeset forth.

2. In an automatic knitting-machine, the combination, with the cam-ringfor operating the yarn or web-holders, of a splicing attachmentcomprising j aws for alternately gripping and releasing thesplicing-thread, a feed-lever for the splicing-thread, a springconnecting the said lever with the movable jaw, a cam and ratchet-wheelfor operating the said lever and jaw fitted to rotate upon a stud fixedin the said cam-ring, adjustable bolts or stops for impartingstep-by-step rotation to the said ratchet-wheel and cam in the rotationof the said cam-ring, and means, substantially as described, foroperating said bolts, as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In an automatic knitting-machine, the

combination, with the cam-ring, the grippingjaws, one of which ismovable, the feed-lever, the connecting-spring, and the cam andratchet-wheel for operating the feed-lever and movable jaw, of adjustingbolts or stops, connectingmechanism,substantiallyasdescribed, and apattern-chain having wedge-pieces thereon adapted to operate theconnecting mechanism, whereby the said bolts or stops are moved into orout of the path of the said 8 5 ratchet-wheel, substantially as and forthe purposes above specified.

4:. In an automatic knltting-machine, the combination, with thecam-ring, a ratchetwheel and cam, and adjustable bolts or stops foroperating thereon, of a semicircular or forked lever pivoted to thetable and extending beneath the said bolts or stops, a sliding rodprovided with an inclined surface adapted to act upon a correspondingsurface on the 5 short arm of the said lever, a bell-cranked levercoupled to the said sliding rod, a slidepiece, a pattern-chain,wedge-pieces on said chain for moving the said slide-piece and bellcranklever in one direction, and a spring for moving them in the reversedirection, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. The combination, with the cam-ring O, the yarn-carrier D, and thetubular threadguide 0, of the jaws g g, the extension g on one of saidjaws, the feed-lever h, the spring or, connecting said extension andlever h, a single cam-wheel m, acting on both the extension and lever,and mechanism, substantially as described, for imparting motion to saidno cam-wheel, as and for the purposes set forth.

6. The combination, with the cam-ring C, the yarn-carrier D, the jaws gg, for alternately gripping and releasing the splicingthread, thefeed-lever h, and the spring 72, connecting the said lever with themovable jaw, of the cam on, the ratchet-wheel 7c, the spring 70, and theregulating-nuts Z, all arranged upon a pin or stud Z, fixed in the saidcam ring, adjustable bolts or stops j, which in the rotation of the saidcam-ring impart'intermittent rotary motion to the said ratchetwheel andcam, and mechanism, substantially as described, for operating saidbolts, as and for the purposes set forth.

'7. The combination, with the cam-ring C, gripping jaws g g, feedleverh, ratchetwheel 70, cam m, and adjustable bolts or stops j, of thesemicircular or forked lever 2 pivoted at c" and provided with theinclined surface t the sliding rod .8, provided with the inclinedsurface s to act upon the said surface 73 of the lever 2', thebell-crank lever r, the connecting-rod 0, coupling the said bellcranklever to the sliding rod .9, the slidesigned our names in the presenceof two subpiece 0,:md the pattern-chain Fflmving' wedgescribingWitnesses.

pieces (1, for moving the sliding rod 5 in one EDXVIN NEiV TON.direction, and a spring 14, for moving the said JAMES PALMER. 5 slidingrod in the reverse direction, substnn- Witnesses:

tialiy as and for the purposes set forth. JOHN \VILLIAM CRADOOK,

In testimony whereof we have hereunto ARTHUR KERSHAW.

